Ullapool klondykers’ exhibition

An exhibition about the influx of Eastern European factory ships during the Cold War period has opened in Ullapool.

During the mackerel boom years, up to 70 Russian, East German and Polish fish-factory boats, called klondykers, would buy up the west coast catch for processing and freezing onboard.

A handful of the Minch fleet would be based in Stornoway and other ports but the vast majority would anchor in Loch Broom, their crews living and working onboard for months on end.

Political and military tensions between the West and Russia were on a knife edge during the era. But the klondyke invasion was friendly and provided a much welcomed economic boost.

Photographs, memorabilia and recordings from the industry are featured at the Ullapool Museum.

It includes pictures of a football match between locals and Soviet Union fishermen - an event which horrified America, running scared of the Communist threat, at the time.

Also on show is an unopened bottle of Russian vodka that originally came ashore in the early 1980s.

The idea for an exhibition followed a chance encounter between former factory-ship worker, Frank Hempel, and tour boat, Summer Queen, crewman Noel Hawkins, who had ferried stores and personnel to the vessels.

Frank later recorded his memories with museum staff and brought some souvenirs from his time as a seaman including an original ship flag and his original seaman's logbook recording his very first visit to Scotland.

Ullapool Museum curator, Helen Avenell, said: "As word spread that we were planning an exhibition about the klondykers, many people in the village that had worked with the ships and businesses supplying stores, personnel and ferrying came forward to share their recollections as well as pictures and memorabilia.

“A local man, Charlie Allen, had compiled a huge collection of photographs through the time that he worked on board ferries serving the fleet.

“Sadly Charlie passed away last year but his family allowed us to borrow and scan his collection which provided us with many of the images on display.

“Having Frank contribute his recollections from the perspective of the boats has really made the exhibition special and we hope more people will still come forward with their memories and memorabilia as the exhibition goes on."

Klondykers off Ullapool Noel Hawkins

Exhibition recalls the klondykers’ invasion

29 May 2015